Social media guided a WorldSkills Champion to their path in Industry 4.0

Nurit Davidowicz, a mechatronics apprentice from Vienna, Austria, has been selected as a WorldSkills Champions Trust representative for Europe. She competed at WorldSkills Lyon 2024 in Industry 4.0 and was awarded a Medallion for Excellence. She completed her apprenticeship at Siemens in March and is also pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Digital Communication at the University of Applied Sciences FH Campus Wien, while working at the Siemens software team.

Sometimes it takes creativity to find your way. After graduating from high school, Nurit enrolled in physics and soon realized that it was not really what she was looking for. She dropped out and started looking for opportunities in engineering. That’s when she outsmarted the social media algorithms. By searching for keywords like “engineering” and “technological appliance school,” she ensured that ads for technical programs appeared in her feed. One such advert led her to Siemens’ dual study program.

Monday to Thursday, she worked at Siemens as a mechatronics apprentice, and in the evening she studied for her skill. Not only did she receive a salary, as is customary for all apprentices in Austria, but the company also financed her education, making her financially independent from an early age. She currently works as part of Siemens’ software development team, which develops predictive maintenance applications for factory equipment.

“The combination of knowledge in mechatronics and IT helps me understand complex systems and develop software for them to predict problems in a factory,” Nurit explains, clarifying that Industry 4.0 is not a “classic job”, but rather a broader field of interest where people with different skills can fit in.

Her path to WorldSkills was a product of both opportunity and ambition. Her instructor at Siemens had been a judge for Industry 4.0 at AustrianSkills, Austria’s national skills competition, and realized that his students could do well in this skill. He encouraged Nurit and a colleague to apply, which led to the young team winning first place nationally before advancing to the global stage.

Nurit has experience in representative roles and is a natural spokesperson and advocate. She has been a high-school student representative and currently represents the apprentices at Siemens. As part of the WorldSkills Champions Trust, she plans to use this international platform to promote equality, inclusion, and representation.

As the only woman in her apprenticeship year at Siemens, she initially had concerns about gender biases but was pleased to find a supportive environment. “At least in my year, there were never any problems with me being a woman. I was taken just as seriously as any other apprentice,” she says. However, she acknowledges the underrepresentation of women in her field, with previous years having no women apprentices at all. Her advocacy extends beyond gender representation. Nurit is also committed to addressing intersectionality in the workplace. “I openly identify as queer, and I know that sadly, double discrimination is a reality for many people in work and education settings,” she says.

As she steps into this new position, she hopes to advocate for a future where opportunities in skilled trades are accessible to all, regardless of gender, background, or identity.

Nurit emphasizes the importance of discovering and nurturing one’s talents. “When you find your skill, it is a passion that will be the spark for your professional career and your personal life,” she says.